Vacuum-testing machine for empty cans



July 2l, 41925. 1,547,126

| s. MAEDE VACUUM TESTING MACHINE FOR EMPTY CANS Filed July 2, 1925 the ftops' are whenthe 'cans have been packed."

Patented July 2l, 1925. Y

Machines or? Einplt'yV 'Cain ing i machine ff'empti' tin o cans.;

fered to the double' yseainer Where; the

factory "is 'concerned las the cans are', then crateda'n'd shil'op'edy to the vcan'neries, Where The present i'veni in is the manufacture of the cans. only the ypur-* vpose being to Idetermine Whether the several 'jugement;*ahditrl A i constanuyfwatch 'the mahfines, and@ ini 7 The present"inventionenibodiesfa ina-chine machines "are functinin'g properly; tli at is,y v Vthe body 'makingi'inachine maybe forming a poor lock seam or soldered' joint I the seamf ing rolls in 'thedouble seamer may' not be' proielv i:fdiusbeds,"etc!` The' reultn'each instance vwould be: aleakyan; f 'lheseveral machines 1 although properly V ,adjusted f are subject to constantvinaaQr 4and tear'andjthey- Yenting'fposition 'that is, one side of ythe may furthermore "madnlly Work out ofad- @reim/necessary w' spectv and testtliefea'ns-- for'leks; j

" for vacuum "testingempty cans; l th e" obj ect" "is exemplified* in vrt being to generally ifrnprove and"simplifytheL construction and operation of machines of. "thisfcharctm we prlqvid'e \frfmachillev which'. rwill visibly-indicate' whether ai'an' isfleak'yfr or` not; land 'which' willjalso visibly indicate;A the point?o1place'Wlierethele'akfoccurs;` and furthermore--` tjjrovid ar machine in One form which inyinve'ntion assumel following description' and illustrated *in*theaccofnpanying 'd lf'awf i ing,l inA which lvis a Yelevation of" the machin@ p rti-ll'y insecten.' Fig. 2 is ,b ille l v fi'neansofa 'connecting-link 13 a crank arm 14. A springis also attached to the `fooi;

, Q or "lilenaterial to render y trio'if vvijiblj; and' it? iS, Ope: at, the upper .end topermitinsertion of theft-ans to be provided WithaI lcover nielnber @which is lexcesis'bigiing, of fue jbaoms )of the pans during 'testing' operation. xvk Supmrd 'by 3 :the 'co'ver 2' Yand passing therethrough valve'is' placedin the' 'pipe' 7 at ,the point indicatedat l0 and this valve, is controlled attootft'readle lil pivotally secured to supportAj yas indicated' yat 12 through treadlefasf shown :at 15 and thisV yserves .the fupQtiQapfmma11y hldinggihe' valve in `Vajlteislj c(,)nn"ecte l with 'a Venting pipe' indi-v `at'e'i aty 16 and the Valve remains in normal `mrn1' l "cation jtherewith Whenthe foot 'throttle 1s held y in elevated' posit' n Y by ythe 'ffs'pljiig A.' Se@ ,11rd "connection Tis made between the va1Ve`nd the'ta'nk Sfthrongh means` of pipelandra thirdconnectmn 'isfiade 'withithe lvalve through lmeans of Lipipe" "7 "This `pipe being conneated?l the Therefore Y when it, is desiredft' test a can it sealing gasket thus serves two f unctions, first', that of a support which limits down ward movement of the can within the container, and secondly, that of sealing the can with relation to the container. At the same time the can is bein inserted, the foot treadle 11 is depresse and the valve is thus turned to a position where the pipes 7 and 7l communicate with the tank 8. The upper interior end of the container B is thus evacuated and the can 1s .pulled downwardly into snug engagement with the sealing gasket. The water 1s displaced and rises upwardly and reaches the level indicated at 19 when the can is in position for testing. The evacuated condition of the container will cause air to enter through the empty can if it is leaky and air bubbles will thus pass upwardly through the water from the point of leakage. The test therefore determines two things, first, that the can is leaking, and it secondl visibly yindicates the point of leakage. This is of importance as it immediately indicates which machine is at fault; that is, if the leak occurs alongtlie vertical lock seam of the body portion 1t is fairly certain that it is either a poor lock joint or a poor solder seam, but if the leak occurs along the bottom portion the fault can be traced to the double seamer. Again, it may happen that a small pin hole is discovered in the metal proper, but this is not so important as it is not caused by any fault of either the body forming machine, the Hanger or the double seamer, and would under such conditions merely indicate poor material.

When the can has been tested it will either indicate a leak-'or no leak, and in either instance it is removed Ibyf merely releasing the foot treadle. Release of the foot treadle swings the valve to venting position as it brin s the pipes 7 and 16 into communication. ir will thus enter the container B and the ievacuated condition is relieved. The buoyancy of the partially submerged can causes it to rise upwardly in the central opening C and it is thus readily grasped and removed and a new can may be inserted land tested as previously described.

The central support shown at 6 is only provided for the purpose ofpreventing excess bulging of the bottoms during the testing operation; that is, a hi h vacuum might bulge the bottom to suc an extent as to spring the seams and an unfair test would thus be given, but this is prevented in the present instance as excess bulging and springing or opening of the seams are prevented.

While certain features of the present invention are more or less specifically illustrated, I wish it understood that various changes in form and proportion may be re-` sorted to within the scope of the appended claims. I similarly wish it understood that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or various uses may demand.

Having thus described\my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A vacuum testing machine for empty tin cans, which cans have an annular ange formed at their upper open end, said machine comprising a transparent container open at the upper end to permit a can to be inserted therein, said container being partially filled with water to surround the can when inserted, means for sealing the upper end of the can and container with relation to each other, and means for evacuating the container above the water level and exterior of the can.

2. A vacuum testig machine for empty tin cans, which cans have an annular flange vformed at their upper open end, said machine comprising a transparent container open at the upper end to permit a can to be inserted therein, said container being partially filled with water to surround the can when inserted, a sea-ling ring adjacent the upper end of the container adapted to receive the can flange to support and seal the can with relation to the container, and means for evacuating the container above the water level land exterior of the can.

3. A machine of the character described comprising a transparent container o en at the upper end and adapted to be su stantially filled with water, a sealing ring on the open end of the container adapted to receive and support an empty tin can, means for evacuating the container above the water level and exterior of the can, and means for preventin excess bulging of the bottom of the can w ien being tested.

4. A vacuum testing machine for empty tin cans,` which cans have an annular iange formed at their upper open end, said machine comprising a transparent container open at the upper end to permit a can to be inserted therein, said container being partially lled with water to surround the can when inserted, means for sealing the upper ed of the can and container with relation to each other, means for evacuating the con tainer above the Water level and exterior of the can, and a standard interior of the container adapted to engage the bottom of the can to prevent excess bulging thereof when the container is evacuated.

5. A vacuum testing machine for empty tin cans, which cans have an annular Harige formed at their upper open end, saidvmachine comprising a transparent container open at the upper end topermit a can to be Vinserted therein, said container being paricc tially lled with Water to surround the can when inserted, a sealing ring adjacent the upper end of the contalner adapted to receive the can flange to support and seal the can with relation to the container, means for evacuating the container above the Water level and exterior of the can, and a vertically disposed standard interior of the container engageable with the bottom of the can to prevent bulging thereof.

6. A vacuum testing machine for empty tin cans, which cans have an annular iange formed at their upper open end, said machine comprising a transparent container open at the upper end to permit the cans to be inserted therein, said container being partially filled with water to surround the can when inserted, a cover member on the upper end of the container and sealed with relation thereto, said cover having a central opening formed therein surrounded by a supporting flange, a sealing ring supported on sai flange adapted to receive the can ange to support and seal the can with relation to the container, a pipe passing through the cover member and communicating with the interior of the container, means connecting the pipe with an evacuating device, and a valve on said pipe adapted to alternately form communication with the evacuating device and conversely to vent the pipe and the container.

LELAND S. MAEDE. 

